Critically injured infant's mom told social worker her boyfriend put her baby in the dryer and turned it on

Memphian Darron Cleveland, accused of putting his girlfriend's infant in a clothes dryer and turning it on, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a charge of aggravated child abuse.

Prosecutors say both of the 5-month-old boy's wrists were broken along with an elbow and a thigh bone. He also suffered bruises, abrasions and contusions to his nose, cheek, shoulder foot and abdomen.

A doctor at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital was ready to testify this week that the injuries, including a skull fracture that was weeks old, could have been caused by being place in a dryer.

But Cleveland, 24, opted to enter an "Alford plea," meaning he doesn't admit guilt but thought a plea was in his best interest.

Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan sentenced Cleveland, whose own infant from a new girlfriend was in the courtroom, to 13 and a half years in prison with no parole for the June 2010 incident.

The victim underwent surgery to reposition his elbow and doctors put casts on both of his arms and one leg.

His mother, Erica Moore, 23, is awaiting her own trial on charges of aggravated child neglect, for failing to protect her child or to call police or seek medical aid.

Memphis police were called to Cleveland's home in the 3600 block of Ridgemont, northwest of Raleigh-Egypt High School, on June 17, 2010, after a neighbor saw Cleveland return home and quickly become enraged. The witness said Cleveland struck Moore in the face so hard it knocked her out of a front porch chair — breaking Moore's glasses and the chair.

He then picked up the 5-month-old, who was in an infant carrier inside the home, and tossed him on the porch, cursing and tell her to, "Get your ugly ass baby" out of his house, a neighbor alleged in court records.

Moore — who was pregnant with Cleveland's child — told police she was struck and that her boyfriend threatened to throw her things out on the street, but she didn't mention any injuries to her child. Cleveland pleaded guilty in 2011 to domestic violence assault against Moore and was sentenced to 30 days and fined $225.

The officer had noticed the infant's swollen leg and cries that seemed to stem from pain and called an ambulance. A paramedic realized the boy couldn't move his arms and legs and took the boy to Le Bonheur.

Moore initially told a social worker that her boyfriend put her son in the clothes' dryer and turned it on. She later told a different social worker, a child welfare worker and police that she had made up that story to get back at Cleveland. His attorney had planned to counter that the dryer was broken and that the couple used a laundromat.

Moore told police investigators that her son was injured by a series of unintentional falls off the bed, by Cleveland dropping him accidentally, and by the dog scratching him, court records show.

"I didn't really know all these bone came broke," she said.

She told police she had noticed the infant's swollen legs and arms and that he cried when touched, but she said, "I didn't think nothing of it."

During the police interview, an investigator said, "You ain't doing crap to protect this baby," the mother replied, "I love him and take care of him."

The mother eventually changed her story, telling prosecutors she had witnessed Cleveland abuse her son on more than one occasion. She was ready to testify this week, Asst. Dist. Atty. Terre Fratesi said.

The neighbor also was expected to testify about witnessing the abuse, including one incident where Cleveland threw the boy in the air and shook him, shouting, "Shut up! Why's you crying so much?" court records show.

She said she had urged Moore to leave him to protect herself and the baby.